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 Title History:
IWGP Tag Team Title (3):
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title (3):
WAR 6 Man Tag Team Title (1):
Tournament History:
- IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title League (1986): Shiro Koshinaka beat The Cobra (15:22) with a German suplex hold.
Signature Moves:
- Diving hip attack
Profile: Koshinaka began wrestling in All Japan, being initiated in July, 1978. He was a friend and opening match rival of Mitsuharu Misawa, the two both All Japan junior heavyweight prospects in the early 1980's. After a learning excursion in 1985 to Mexico and south-east Asia though, he transferred to New Japan, joining the company in August, 1985. He found quick success, becoming the first ever IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion when he defeated The Cobra (George Takano) in a tournament final on 2/6/86. He enjoyed three reigns as champion, having some memorable matches with Nobuhiko Takada and Hiroshi Hase. Ironically, all three would find greater fame as heavyweights, and Koshinaka graduated to the heavyweight division in 1992. Even before becoming a heavyweight, he was one of the few juniors to hold a heavyweight title, teaming with Keiji Muto to win the IWGP Tag Team Title in March, 1987, a reign that would last only one week. After becoming a heavyweight, he formed an anti-New Japan army called Heisei Ishingun, which would become one of the longest standing factions in history, forming in August, 1992, and disbanding in February, 1999. Throughout the 1990's he became a major star in New Japan, taking part in some great matches and having a memorable rivalry with Masahiro Chono. He made his second and final challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on 3/1/96, facing UWF-I ace and former junior rival, Nobuhiko Takada. In July, 1998, he formed a tag team with legend, Genichiro Tenryu, the two winning the IWGP Tag Team Title together. Koshinaka also competed in Tenryu's WAR promotion, taking Heisei Ishingun members with him for matches, and winning the WAR 6 Man Tag Team Title in 1995. After disbanding Heisei Ishingun on 2/22/99, he finally returned to the New Japan army, where he quickly won gold, teaming with Kensuke Sasaki to begin his third reign as IWGP Tag Team Champion. He briefly returned to his old haunt, All Japan, in October, 2000, where he competed in a tournament to determine a new Triple Crown Champion, and faced Toshiaki Kawada. At the start of 2003, Koshinaka opted not to renew his New Japan contract, joining old friend, Riki Choshu, in his new World Japan promotion, and ending a long career in New Japan. After WJ's collapse and several years of wandering around Japan, Koshinaka began appearing in New Japan again in 2006. Koshinaka's charisma and skill made him one of New Japan's most popular wrestlers in the 1990's, and fans still cheer in delight whenever he uses his famous hip attacks on opponents.
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